Higher Education Webcasts

Prose and Purpose

I am fortunate to have a broad vantage point on education that spans kindergarten through graduate school. In addition to my position at Hofstra I have served on two school boards, the first at a Quaker School my kids were attending at the time and currently I serve on my local school board where my kids now attend. I also serve on the board for ProjectGrad Long Island, which provides extra support for economically disadvantaged school districts. And I have worked closely with Hofstra’s NOAH program, which was the template for New York State’s HEOP program, for over 25 years.

At our mid-year commencement a few weeks ago, a faculty member I have known for many years asked me if I had been reading his Huffington Post blog on a regular basis. I answered yes and he asked me what I thought.

A day after our December commencement exercises and two days after a 24” snowstorm, I am on an airplane flying to Hawaii. At this and every other commencement, I always watch the parade of graduates – from the bachelor’s level to the doctorate- march across the stage. And as they march, I wonder whether we have done all that we can do to provide an education that will serve their needs and society’s needs.